Sacred Pilgrimage to the Southwest May 15-24th, 2009 Led by: Sheri Rosenthal & Lee McCormick Sheri is the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Toltec Wisdom & Banish Mind Spam! Lee is the founder/co-owner of The Recovery Ranch and the author of The Spirit Recovery Meditation Journal.

Our Travel Destinations Bimini Dolphins Heli-Hiking, Canada Havasupai - Grand Canyon Sacred Southwest Sites Sedona, Arizona Baja, Mexico Oaxaca, Mexico Palenque, Mexico Teotihuacan, Mexico Tepoztlan, Mexico Tulum, Mexico Yucatan and Belize Photography Travel Guatemala Peru Egypt Israel Santorini, Greece Turkey Bhutan Vietnam and Cambodia Journeys by the Month December: Guatemala March: Palenque, Mexico May: Mesa Verde/Chaco/Canyon De Chelly June: Women's Retreat: Oaxaca, MX July: Women's Retreat: Bimini Dolphins August: Havasupai-Grand Canyon October: Peru December: Egypt Receive our Updates! Sign up by clicking here View a sample newsletter

Have you been feeling like something isn’t quite right in your life? Do you feel like your life is in charge of you instead of you being in charge of it? Have you been telling yourself that you’ll be happy when something in your life changes? Are you ready to make a change but don’t know where to begin? You’re not the only one! Taking a spiritual journey is a wonderful way to begin to have clarity about yourself and your life.

If you are ready to put confusion and indecision behind you and learn how to create your happiness, this pilgrimage to the beautiful Southwest is where you want to be. While visiting the amazing and powerful sacred sites of Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, and Canyon de Chelly you will have the opportunity to look deep within yourself and reflect on your inner strength, and your self-limiting beliefs. Gently led by the insightful observations and reflections of your guides, you will embark on a journey to collect the tools and skills that you can use to harness your personal power and find your personal freedom.

On this journey we will explore three of the most interesting sacred sites of the southwest: Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelly and Chaco Canyon. We will be hiking, meditating, vision questing, sharing and participating in ceremony and self-exploration. There will be four nights of camping and hiking on Navaho land with our precious hosts Jon and Lupita McClanahan of FootpathJourneys.com. They will share how the Diné view the spiritual world with us as we sit around the fire at night under the open star-filled sky. Actually, the land that we will be camping on has been in Lupita's family for over 400 years.

This will be an active trip, as we will be hiking at altitude. Bring your hiking shoes, a journal and an open heart. Be prepared for the unexpected, as the magic of this ancient land will take you to places you did not think were possible. Generations of Warriors before us will be supporting us on our personal vision quests.

Isn’t it time for you to do something special for yourself? I invite you to join us on this life-changing journey and discover the perfection that you are and the peace you possess within you. Please feel free to take a peek at some pictures from our last journey to Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelly and Chaco Canyon: Sacred Southwest Photo's!

As is typical for a Journeys of the Spirit retreat, you will experience class time daily, time for sharing with the group, reflection and meditation time, and one-on-one personal time with your group leader (along with fun and shopping time too of course!). It is our intent that you return home with an open heart and mind along with the tools you need to make the changes in your life you desire.

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Day 1- (-/-) FARMINGTON We meet in Farmington, New Mexico and arrive at our hotel as our base camp for the next couple of days.

Day 2- (b/l/-) CHACO CANYON Today we start our day exploring the amazing Chaco Canyon. There is so much mystery surrounding these ruins and the purpose for their presence. Chaco Canyon was a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture between AD 850 and 1250. It was a hub of ceremony, trade, and administration for the prehistoric Four Corners area - unlike anything before or since. We overnight in Farmington.

Day 3- (b/l/d) MESA VERDE We leave early in the morning for Mesa Verde. This morning after breakfast we make the journey to Mesa Verde to our new home at the Fairview Lodge in the National Park itself! Our lodge has incredible views of the park and it is beautiful to be staying inside this powerful location.

Day 4- (b/-/d) MESA VERDE Today we adventure through Mesa Verde and take in all the wonderful areas. In Southwest Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park is the nation's richest archaeological preserve with over 4000 sites. We will have the opportunity to visit the wonderful ruins at Cliff Palace, Spruce Tree and Balcony House. In addition we will hike one of the powerful trails and experience ancient petroglyphs. There's no better way to explore these ancient sites and spectacular cliff dwellings than to stay in the Park, in the midst of their magic.

Day 5- (b/-/d) CANYON DE CHELLY After an early breakfast we leave for Canyon de Chelly. We will take in lunch and then hike into the canyon where we will stay for the next four days camping under the stars. Canyon de Chelly is unique among National Park service units, as it is comprised entirely of Navajo Tribal Trust Land that remains home to the canyon community.

Day 6- (b/-/d) CANYON DE CHELLY Once settled in the canyon we will take time to do a vision quest today spending time alone to contemplate our life and get clarity on our life's purpose.

Day 7- (b/l/d) CANYON DE CHELLY Today we explore one of the most immense canyons by foot. We enjoy wonderful food by the fire and a fire ceremony by night.

Day 8- (b/l/d) CANYON DE CHELLY Our host Jon, will take us to some of the more remote and beautiful locations in the canyon.

Day 9- (b/l/-) CANYON DE CHELLY - FARMINGTON This morning we finish our explorations of Canyon de Chelly and hike back out by late afternoon. It is important to remember that Canyon de Chelly sustains a living community of Navajo people, who are connected to a landscape of great historical and spiritual significance - a landscape composed of places infused with collective memory. Tonight we travel back to Farmington where we overnight and get ready for our flights back home in the morning.

Day 9- (b/-/-) HOME Today we leave these sacred places and make our way back to the airport. We say our last goodbyes, hugs and kisses as we prepare to take our new dream of heaven back to our lives!

Some interesting websites for you to explore: TraditionsoftheSun.org, Mesa Verde, ChacoCanyon and CanyonDeChelly.

This schedule is tentative! Due the remote areas we are traveling to, weather, bad roads and other unseen obstacles may cause us to make changes in the schedule or to visit different sites. We understand that if this happens we were not meant to be where we were going!

Many meals are included in this program. These are noted next to each day on the itinerary and are in parentheses. (9 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 6 dinners are included) Non-included lunches and dinners on your may need to be paid for in cash so plan accordingly. All spiritual teachings are included. During our stay in Canyon De Chelly we supply you with a double occupancy tent, sleeping bag, pad and hot outdoor showers (if you want to bring your own supplies let us know). Tips for the drivers, guides, and bell boys are included. All ground transportation is included on this journey; our vans. Your round trip air flight to Albuquerque is not included in the cost of the journey. Other non-included items would be souvenir shopping and room maids (we recommend you leave $1.00 USD per night per person in the room).

The actual schedule of spiritual teachings and what we will be doing day to day is not published. This is because we teach by channeling spirit which comes in the moment. Every day will be a magical experience for all of us, teachers included! Keep you heart and mind open to the experience life brings us.

2009 trip cost is: $2495.00 per person double occupancy in hotel and tents. Single supplement is $420.00.

A deposit of $500.00 is preferred by: March 1st, 2009. Final payment is due: April 1st, 2009. Any cancellation made in writing from: March 1st, 2009 to April 1st, 2009 will result in a cancellation fee of $200.00. Any cancellation made after: April 1st, 2009 up to the date of departure will result in total loss of deposit ($500.00) plus any non-refundable costs that we have made to our hotels and transport. Trip cancellation insurance is recommended to cover such issues. We reserve the right to cancel the trip if it is not meeting the trip minimum.

Please know that I am happy to create a monthly payment plan for you - if that works better! Just let me know and we can charge a specific amount monthly to your credit card.

Photograph of Great Kiva of Pueblo Bonito ruins, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico courtesy of SacredSites.com

You may print each form separately, or download all 7 forms at the same time and then print them from your computer. All the documents are in Adobe PDF format. If you don't have Acrobat Reader in your computer (most people do), please go to CLICK HERE to download it. Forms currently not available for download.

Dear Spiritual Traveler
Don't Forget Me List!
Statement of Health
Trip Application
Limitation of Liability
Release of Liability
Terms & Conditions
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Photograph of Pueblo Bonito ruins, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico courtesy of SacredSites.com

These are a few books that I feel will help you prepare for your upcoming journey. Please enjoy these recommendations. If you have any of your own, let me know and I will consider posting them! If you click on the book itself it will link you to Amazon.com.

Having experienced many Spiritual Journeys, it is nice to have all the information you might need before you go! I have included a list of online resources that will prove to be useful as you plan and prepare for your next Spiritual Journey. Simply choose a link from the drop down menu below and the corresponding website will open in its own window making it easy for you to return to this site and continue your exploration.